GP & J Baker | Kemble Fabric

Kemble is the plain companion in the House Plain & Stripe II range, sitting alongside Sarsden and Laverton Stripe: a smooth, linen-rich plain weave with no pattern to match, giving a clean block of colour with the dry, slightly nubbled hand typical of a linen-cotton blend. It reads as a quieter, more tailored plain than a pure linen, with just enough cotton in the weave to add body and crease-resistance without losing the natural texture of the cloth.

The cloth is 55 per cent linen and 45 per cent cotton, and it is 137 centimetres wide. GP & J Baker specify it for curtains and bedspreads. Twelve colourways: Ivory, Oyster, Linen, Clam and Sand among the pale neutrals, Soft Red as the one warm accent, Soft Blue and Indigo for the cooler end, Aqua, Grass and Fern for green and teal notes, and Ochre for a single warm yellow, giving a genuinely wide-ranging palette to match against the house prints.

We use it for curtains in a room that already carries a print elsewhere, and it makes a crisp, plain bedspread that lets a patterned headboard or cushions do the talking. The pale neutrals such as Oyster or Sand are the easiest to place against most wall colours; Soft Blue or Grass bring in a little more colour without competing with a busy scheme. Pair it with Laverton Stripe or one of the Crayford prints for a considered, coordinated room. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

With no repeat, quantities are simple to calculate and cutting wastes very little cloth. Line and interline curtains for a proper hang and to protect the paler colourways from strong light. It is not specified for upholstery, so keep it to windows, beds and cushions, and check with us for current rub test data before considering it for a heavier use.